Trying to Survive: Scarlett's Story
by Rebekah93
Summary: Scarlett works to find her father and help save the remaining human civilization. Rated M for future chapters, ill change it if I don't write anything bad.
1. Vault 101

Chapter 1: Vault 101

Vault 101, constructed started in 2062. A wonderful place to live and be away from the radioactive wasteland. Well at least that's what everyone down there says. 'We are born in the vault, we live in the vault, and we die in the vault', well at least that is what the posters, the Overseer, and the grown ups say.

Scarlett thinks very differently then everyone, to her this isn't the best home but they can go no where else. Considering they live underground and the door doesn't open. There are occasionally large infestations of radroaches and no one knows where they came from, but apparently be for the Great War they were tiny and people could squish them with their feet. Everyone is told its the radiation, the whole world is radioactive.

The Great War, Saturday October 23, 2077. The United State, China, and the USSR went to war, for two hours they bombed each other with atomic and nuclear warhead. The world went into nuclear holocaust. In 2050 fossil-fuels began to run out, which created a worldwide energy crisis. The need for these fossil-fuels just kept increasing for the power of technology that was less energy-efficient. So everyone around the world fought over the last remaining areas that had fossil-fuels, which resulted in the destruction of Tel Aviv, Israeli in December of 2052.

With little success the United Nations tried to keep the peace, which ended up with them being disband. So then in 2066 the Chinese invaded Alaska for the state's remaining oil reserves. To ensure Canadian support for their defense of the Alaskan front, the United States annexed them in 2076. The US retaliated against the Chinese by invading the mainland in '74 to reduce Chinese pressure in Alaska, this proved successful as American forces liberated Anchorage, Alaska and forced the Chinese People's Liberation Army to retreat entirely back to China in '77. According to Mr. Brotch the Vault 101 teacher, many smaller nations went bankrupt in result of all the chaos.

No one actually knows who launched the first nuclear weapon, you would thing there wouldn't be much destruction for a war that only lasted two hours but it was incredibly destructive. More energy was released in the first moments than all of the previous conflicts in history. Vault-Tec built many Vaults across America, the only remaining civilization is in these vaults.

"Vault 101, located in the capitol of Washington, D.C." Scarlett read out of the book in her had. The history of the war and her vault. She was currently sitting in Mr. Brotch's classroom at eleven-fifty at night. Everyone else were in there quarters asleep, as was her father. She enjoyed sneaking into the classroom and ready the books about everything they learned, she occasionally would look at student records. She did the same thing with medical files on her fathers computer.

The Vault never opens, and is the safest place. So why did she feel trapped. She has one friend, her best friend Amata the Overseer's daughter. Butch's Stupid Gang 'The Tunnel Snakes" are always bulling her, and Scarlett has interfered on almost every occasion. Usually resulting in Butch having a bloody nose and the rest of the gang pulling her off of him.

She looked back down at the book and began reading again. October 23, 2077 the very first Overseer came into order, Overseer Frankie Smith. He shared radio transmissions he received with everyone in the vault, saying the outside world was an uninhabitable nuclear-ravaged wasteland with absolutely no hope of existence outside of the vault. He prepared a subordinate to continue after him and died of natural causes in 2127. The Second Overseer led by the same example as Smith. The third Overseer vanished. "How can they not find the Overseer, there's no where to go." She shook her head.

Alphonse Almodavar the forth overseer and Amata's father. He became Overseer in 2257, was all it said. The vault before Alphonse sounded good but when he became Overseer it became a strict police state. He is the one who put Jonas and her fathers assistant. They stopped getting the transmissions from outside, the overseer said that things had gotten so bad that whoever was sending the information was no longer able to.

Putting the book down, not wanting to read any longer. She looked at the black board to the right, Butch must have snuck in earlier to write the stupid remarks on it. 'Brotch the crotch!' and 'Christine Kendall puts out!" were newly written on the bottom of the board. She got up and started to head back to her quarters, stopping to go into the cafeteria. Looking at the bulletin board for any new news. A notice for the "Cake Bake-Off" for tomorrow. Founder's Day reminder for next month.

She Leaves the and makes it into her quarters without anyone spotting her. Laying down in her bed and staring at the ceiling, she actually wanted to leave the vault, she hated it down here. Maybe she could make it to one of the other vaults before anything bad happened, she was just so tired of everyone down here.

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_Author's note- Thank you so much for reading, please review and tell me how I'm doing. I would really appreciate it. With this chapter I kind of just wanted to but a background to the story and character. How she is feeling about the vault. I got the Background info on the War and the vault from the Fallout Wiki page. _


	2. Escape

Chapter 2: Escape

Scarlett was woken by Amata shaking her violently and the blaring emergency sirens.

"Scarlett, you have to wake up! Your fathers gone!" Still shaking her and tears running down her face.

"What are you talking about my dad's gone?" Sitting up and pushing Amata away gently to get some room to move.

"Your dad left the vault, and my dad has gone crazy. They are looking for you!" Scarlett really looks at her friend as she wipes more tears away, she has never seen Amata so scared before. Standing up and taking Amata's hand.

"Calm down and tell me what happened, Amata." She nods, looking up.

"They killed Jonas, my father had Officer Mack do it. Everything is going crazy, your dad left the vault!" She couldn't believe what she was hearing the vault has been sealed for two-hundred years, it doesn't open. There was no way Jonas was dead, they wouldn't murder him.

"My dad couldn't have left, the vault is sealed. And why would they kill Jonas?"

"It isn't anymore, they wanted information on why your dad left and how he opened the door. Jonas said he didn't know what was going on and that James couldn't have left. Officer Mack beat him with his baton, my father told him to." Amata started crying again so Scarlett put her arms around her for comfort. "Did he not tell you he was leaving?"

"No, he didn't say anything to me. I didn't even know it was possible." Letting go of Amata she sat down hard on her bed. "He didn't say goodbye, I can't believe he's gone." She looks up at Amata tears forming in her eyes. Amata kneels down in front of her.

"Maybe Jonas was supposed to explain everything. There is no way they thought this was going to happen. They're coming Scar, you have to get out of here. I have a plan to get you out." She looked at Amata skeptically, her plans were always crazy but she didn't have a choice.

"What's the plan?" She stands up and grabs her fathers old traveling bag from under his bed, she never understood why he had it. She grabs two of her jumpsuits and shoves them in.

"There's a tunnel under the Overseer's office it goes straight to the entrance. Here take these it will help you get in." She pulls two bobby pins from her hair and carefully puts them in Scarlett's. "Easy enough, you'll know where they are, there are more in my room you can grab on your way out." She smiles at Amata and quickly put her Grognok comic book in her bag, it was a gift from Amata on her tenth birthday and it's always been her favorite. She threw her baseball cap into the bag as well, then looks over at Amata when she tries to hand her something. "I took my father's pistol, thought you could use it." looking down at the gun, it was so tempting to take it and she could use it on her way out. But she wanted her friend safe.

"No, you keep it. You may need it more than I do." she has her BB gun and baseball bat for protection. She doesn't need the gun, She attached both to her back for easy access for when she needs them. "Thank you Amata, You're my best friend."

"I'll try to meet you at the entrance but don't wait for me. Good Luck." They hug each other tight, then Amata runs out of the room. Scarlett looks around the room for anything of use. Removing the med-x and ten stimpaks from the first aid kit on the wall and placing them in a small pouch in the bag. Slinging the bag onto her back she goes out into the hall. Right when she stepped outside she head the loud yell of Officer Kendall as he points to her, "hold it right there missy," scared she grips onto her bat tightly in case of a fight. There was no telling if he would have attacked her, he didn't get the chance as three radroaches came from opposite sides and started attacking him. She stood there watching as he killed two but it was too late as the last one tore the artery in his thigh. Walking over she finishes the last one with her bat and looks down at Kendall. Kneeling down and striping him of his amour and throwing it on along with his helmet. It will really come in handy for future incidents.

"Rest in peace, Officer Kendall." She walks off down the hall heading for the atrium. Butch runs from his room right into her, grabbing her shoulders.

"You gotta help, my moms in there with the radroaches. You gotta get her out." She slapped his hands away.

"You asking me for help, only if you knew what irony meant..."

"Yeah I'm asking, so what. You never took all that stuff seriously right, me and the boys were only messing around. Please you can't leave her in there!" She knew he was lying, he always enjoyed it.

"Why can't you do it Butch, are you afraid of a little radroach?" She knew mocking him wasn't good but now he deserved it. he was always such an ass to her and Amata.

"Yeah, I hate those things. I can't do it, I'm begging you to save her. I don't know what I'd do without my mom." He had a point there was no way she could leave Ms. DeLoria in there to get eaten by roaches. She starts towards his quarters, bat ready.

"Fine, I'll help." Walking into Ms. DeLoria's room to three roaches attaching her, small red bloody bites all over her. Scarlett starts beating the roaches, but before the last is dead Ms. DeLoria takes her last breath. She bends down and tries CPR but its to late, she is gone. "Great, how am I going to explain this. I didn't mean for this to happen." She whispers to herself. Walking out and over to Butch. "...I'm sorry..."

"your what?.. She's dead? Why didn't you save her?! Leave! Go! Get away you bitch!" she walks off down the hall, there is nothing she can do to help him.

Looking into the cafeteria window as she walks by, Grandma Taylor is on the ground surrounded by roaches. She keeps walking and shakes her head, heading up the stairs as the Overseers voice comes over the intercom.

"Residents must stay in their quarters until the radroach infestation is taken care of. Anyone outside their quarters will be dealt with severely." Severely? What the hell does he mean by that. At the top of the stairs she sees someone at the end of the hall fighting roaches. Where the hell are all these coming from. Laughing silently as Andy comes around the corner firing at them with his flamethrower. Continuing down the hall, seeing that Officer Gomez was the one fighting the roaches. He stops when he spots her and starts walking her way. Readying herself for a fight, she relaxes when he makes no move for his own weapon.

"Your lucky it was me who found you, the others wont be so forgiving. How are you doing kid?"

"Really? I'm in hell, the whole vault wants me dead. Why do they want me dead Officer Gomez? Why aren't you trying to arrest me or something?" She's always considered him a friend and is really glad he seems calm instead of angry. They last thing she needed was someone she actually liked trying to kill her.

"I Know it kid, I always liked you and your dad. The Overseer is going crazy right now, I don't know what he is thinking but everyone else is going to obey his word. I'll just pretend I didn't see you." He smiles down at her, smiling back she gives him a hug.

"And Ill pretend you don't work for a homicidal maniac." Hugging her back and shaking his head. The Kid always was crazy, even more so then that stupid gang.

"Don't I know it, why do you think I'm letting you go. You gotta go after your dad, its your only shot. You'll do great out there." Letting each other go, he heads off in the direction she came from. Taking a deep breath she walks into her fathers clinic. Stanley and Andy are arguing about something that needs to be fixed. Pocketing two stimpaks from the table, she walks into the office. The Terminal is locked so she wont be getting any useful information from that, she looks around the room. Grabbing the medic bobble head from the desk, she always played with it when she was little. She leaves the clinic and goes through the atrium door.

Walking into the atrium, it was empty usually there were a lot of people in here. Tom and Mary Holden were the only people there, a door across the way was being held open by a locker. Why someone would do that was beyond her. Tom was trying to convince Mary that the only choice they had was to leave the vault. He ran straight for the entrance door and was shot down in the process. Mary started screaming and ran after him taking to bullets to the chest, landing right beside her husband. "Holy shit, they shot the Holden's." she slumped against the wall staring at the corpses. Shaking her head and taking a deep breath, she darts across the room and through the open door. Seeing two officers at the entrance doorway, they were shocked by her going across and weren't following so she continued up the stairs.

Almost running straight into Chief Hannon, she stops dead and watches him fight off four radroaches. Grabbing the bat, she hits him hard on the back of the head and takes care of the rest of the roaches. There would have been no way she could win in a fair fight with Security Chief Hannon, he was chief for a reason. Grabbing his armor and throwing it in the pack. She heads out of the through the systems room, seeing Floyd Lewis dead next to his tool box. He must have been working when the vault went to hell.

Running down the hall she stops short of the security office window when she hears the Overseer talking to Amata. Having no idea what was happening before Amata took out the pistol, the Overseer told Officer Mack to deal with her and she shoots him. Being to shocked to do anything, she watches as Amata runs from the room and down the hall. Walking slowly into the room, the Overseer in the corner and Officer Mack on the ground. Looking at Scarlett, the Overseer gave her a look with such hate.

"I really hope your here to turn yourself in young lady, you are in enough trouble."

"Give me the keys to your office and your terminal password."

"No, I'm not encouraging this mess. Hand over all your weapons and we can play nice."

"I will escape with or without your help, you know I'm not the one who started killing people."

"The world outside is a dangerous place, and I will do anything to keep this vault safe. Do you hear me. GUARDS, HELP HE!" Before he can get another word out, she knocks him out with the bat. As much as she would like to kill the bastard, she knows Amata needs him. Grabbing a stimpak and a few 10mm rounds from the lockers, she leaves the room and heads down the way Amata went. Not getting far as Officer O'Brian and Officer Richards run around the corner and start shooting. Hiding behind the wall until they are close enough, she jumps out and starts swinging her bat like crazy. They fall to the ground but not before a bullet grazes her arm. Not willing to stop and hardly feeling the pain, she snatches up the two 10mm pistols and run down the hall to the Overseer's room.

As she enters her eyes automatically fall to Jonas on the ground in the reception area. Kneeling down beside him, she lightly places her hand on his chest with tears in her eyes. Hoping to feel something under her hand, but there was nothing. She couldn't cry, she can cry when she is safe. Sighing she sees a holonote in his pocket 'Note From Dad' was written across it. she places it in her pack for later along with a stimpak that fell when she lifted the note. Hearing a noise from the room to her left, she gets up and goes in to find Amata sobbing at her dining room table. Lightly placing her hand on her friend's shoulder, knowing loud noises would only scare her. She looks up and hugs her tightly.

"I had no choice, I don't know what he was going to do. My own father...Here take it I don't want it anymore." She hands over her father's pistol. Holstering it at her waist, she strokes Amata's hair.

"You had no choice, there is no telling what Officer Mack would have done. I mean look at Jonas, I would kill your father if you ended up like that."

"Yeah...You better go, before more come. I'll try to meet you there." She let's go and lays her head on the table. Grabbing five bobby pins from Amata's room and finding an extra key to the office. Scarlett heads into the Overseers office and straight for the terminal. Turning it on, it asks for a password. Thinking, she quickly types in 'AMATA' to see if that would work and it does.

"How could he be so stupid with that password. Anyone would know that." Curiously clicking on the first link, 'Security Dossiers" four more links pop up. Clicking 'Tunnel Snakes" its pretty short talking about how the Overseer might have to put Butch 'Down'. How crazy is that, if he thinks putting down one of the residents everyone would be after him. The 'Beatrice' link isn't much better says she is an absent-minded, sexually repressed, sycophant. which is actually agreeable, she flirted with every man who walked by her. Also saying her mind is growing feeble and the Overseer wants to give her pills to keep her 'comfortable' until she passes. The 'Jonas' link says he wishes he would not have assigned Jonas as James assistant. He is to idealistic and the doctor is a bad influence. The 'Amata' link states the she pushes her father away and doesn't listen when he tries to teach her the virtues of the vault. She alienates him. She doesn't see her father, she sees the Overseer. Well at least she didn't listen to his crazy teachings.

Going back to the main screen and clicking on 'Scouting Reports'. It reads 'Immense vicinity is no longer dangerously irradiated. Background radiation is still above safe levels. Pockets of intense radiation are common.' "What the hell is this?" 'All surface water is undrinkable. Need to carry ampules of rad-x on future surveys. Hazard suits no necessary.' Has the vault been open before? They went outside. They lied. 'Old maps useless, Springvale is an abandoned ruin. Pre war roads disappeared or no longer passable. Encountered group of monstrous ants which confirm Mackey's theories of mutation due to extent exposer to radiation. Collected samples (picture of a giant ant). Good news, human civilization survived despite everything. Discovered settlement "Megaton" (picture of Megaton). Inhabitants although wary at first welcomed us into their town. Spent great deal of time there and learned about "Capitol Wasteland". Ants are the least of out worries on the outside. Return to the vault to revise our survey plans in light of what we learned. Lewis and Agnes remained in Megaton to serve as "ambassadors" and continue to collect info until we return. Anne Palmer Survey Team Leader Feb 10, 2241.' Why has then been kept a secret? Its safe out there and they tell us it's not.

Tired of reading anymore she clicks the link to open the tunnel. Backing up from the terminal, the desk starts to rise and stairs are reviled. Descending the stairs into the tunnel and making her way into the entrance room. Seeing the big gear vault door for the first time is breathtaking and scary. She walks over and hits some buttons on the panel. The door starts to open and its so loud. Security guards on the other side of the main entrance start pounding on the door screaming to get it open. Just be for she runs into the cave and into the world Amata comes through the tunnel from the Overseer's office. She stops shocked at what she is seeing. she points to the door.

"You did it, I cant believe you got it open. I almost didn't believe it was possible."

"Amata I couldn't have done this without you, thank you."

"No, you didn't need me. If anyone can survive out there its you."

"Why don't you come with me?"

"Its tempting, but the vault needs me more than you do. I'm the only one who can talk some sense into my father. If you run into your dad out there, tell him I'm sorry for Jonas and everything."

"I will, thank you. I'll miss you Amata." They hug each other tight and let go.

"I'll miss you to. Good luck out there and goodbye." She runs through the tunnel just as the security officers get the door open. Without a second thought she is through the vault door and outside for the first time. Even if it is a cave, it's still dirt and rocks. The officers refuse to cross the threshold and one of them goes to the panel and closes the door.

"Well, there's no turning back now." She looks around the small area and leans against the door. there are two skeletons with three picket signs on the ground. 'HELP UP!' 'WE'RE DYING ASSHOLES' and 'LET US IN MOTHERFUCKERS' are written on them. If they opened the door before why wouldn't the let these people in. They watched these people die from that little camera at the top of the door. She flips the camera off as she walks down to the wooden door to the open air. Bright light is coming in, illuminating the third skeleton. Opening the door, she walks out into the Capitol Wasteland.


	3. Springvale

_AN- In the previous chapter, Officer Kendall did get killed by the roaches, and I accidently killed Butch's mom. In VATS it hit her instead of hitting the roaches. Didn't mean for that to happen. That was the 1st time that ever happened._

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Chapter 3: Springvale

It was so bright Scarlett had to cover her eyes as she fell back against the wooden door and waited a few minutes before trying to uncover them. It didn't work having to do this four more times before only having to shade her face and squint. She had never been in an area so bright, the vault was bright but it wasn't like this. She wanted to go back into the cave so it would be bearable but she just couldn't do that. She sat down against the door and pulling out the 'Note From Dad' holonote and scanning it into her pip-boy. She scrolled through her notes to it and selected to listen.

Her dad's voice came through telling her not to be angry, saying she couldn't know why he was leaving. "You're an adult now. You're ready to be on your own. Maybe someday things will change and we can see each other again. I can't tell you why I left. I don't want you following me. God knows life in the vault isn't perfect, but at least you'll be safe. Just knowing that will be enough to keep me going. Goodbye I love you." She sighed and turned off her pip-boy.

Looking around the area, she stands up and walks over to the blue sign in the ground. "Scenic Overview" she looks out over the area from her spot on the cliff. Seeing ruined houses, what looks like a water tower, a big red rocket, and Megaton from the looks of it. She starts walking down the little path from the cliff to the road. Following the road seems like the safest way. Walking down the road she looks at the water tower, "Springvale" was written across it. Her Pip-boy dings lightly and she looks down, across the screen says "Springvale. Vault-Tec began construction on Vault 101 in the hills west of town in the 2060s. The residents of Springvale petitioned for spots in the vault, most were denied. Springvale was a great place to live. With the Springvale Elementary School, a children's playground, a gas station, a bus stop and many houses." Shaking her head at the information she kept walking until she hit a blue mail drop box.

Every house was completely ruined, the drop box was next to the first house facing south. looking inside the mail box she found three frag grenades, jet and psycho. holding one of the grenades out, looking it over then putting it away.

"I'll have to ask someone for instructions on how to use these". Scavenging three bobby pins and three bottles of alcohol from a cabinet, a weird outfit from a footlocker, a refrigerator full of different kinds of food from the first two houses. Keeping out a bag of potato crisps to snack on since she didn't have enough time to eat that morning. Walking out of the house she immediately runs back in and hides behind a crumbling wall. She peaks out at the flying ball of a machine that is headed down the road. Not paying her any mind it continues down the road then turns around and goes back the other way, watching as it keeps pacing. She relaxes and slowly comes from the house again, hearing something about a president Eden and patriotic music. She continues down to the next two houses. Finding a Pugilism Illustrated magazine in a mailbox, and picking the lock of a safe with a bobby pin which has a small amount of chems, a .44 Magnum and seventeen bottle caps. "Why would someone keep bottle caps?" Pocketing them anyway in case of any importance she heads out of the house.

Right beside the house is an amazing playground. Having never seen one except for in books and movies, she walks over feeling excited. It had a swing set, marry-go-round, monkey bars, a pair of see-saws, and a slide, she goes over to the swing set and runs a hand over the chain. Thinking it would be strong enough to hold her she sits down. She was very wrong about the strength as the swing broke under the weight and she fell to the ground. Sighing she gets up and walks across the street to the big Red Rocket gas station right behind a sign saying 'Megaton' in big letters with an arrow pointing to the right. Grabbing the three Nuka-Colas and Nuka-Cola Quantum (which is a fascinating crazy glowing blue color) from a vending machine she heads the way the sign indicated.

Walking around a rock she bumps right into a man in a yellow jumpsuit. She apologizes and he says his name is Lucky Harith and he sales guns for a caravan. He is accompanied by a woman all in leather and a weird two-headed animal that vaguely resembles a cow. She explains to him that she has no money and says goodbye. Walking up to the town, there is a man sitting out front and he looks very unhealthy. Another robot is guarding the door but he doesn't fly.

"Is this Megaton?" She asks the man out front.

"Yes, they have water in there but they only give it to citizens and people who can buy it. I'm Micky, Do you have any purified water?"

"I'm sorry, I don't have any. If i find some ill bring it to you."

"Thank you, dear." She walks up to the doors of the town.

"Welcome to Megaton. The bomb is perfectly safe. We promise." The robot next to her scared her as it spoke up.

"What do you mean by bomb?" It doesn't answer, getting closer she scans him with her pip-boy. 'Deputy Weld. Protectron series. Protectrons were created by RobCo corporations for protection or used for manual labor. Typically used in office-type settings, they are useful as greeters, ticket collectors, bartenders, celebrity or historical figure impersonators, even sexual partners. They are usually weak because of their slow movements. Many were commissioned by the U.S. Army before 2077. They have a glass dome on top of their heads that acts as an ocular lens that allows them to scan its surrounding and act accordingly. In the glass dome is a laser emitter that shoots a high-powered laser, which is also in both hands. Their body can swivel up to about ninety degrees to either side before having to step into a different position...Deputy Weld is deputy of Megaton and belongs to Lucas Simms.'

"What is your purpose here?" looking around for the voice, not seeing anyone.

"I'm looking for my father?"

"Up here," Looking up to the Hispanic man in a sniper post at the top of the town, he looks to be in mid twenty's. "We get many visitors, today was a caravan day its hard to keep up with all the people. I'm Stockholm, I guard the gate. You can come on in. The Sheriff is gonna wanna talk to you, his names Lucas Simms, should be near the entrance." He hit a switch and the jet wings started opening, powered by the jet engine at the top. She walks in to the inner doors, and steps in.

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_AN- Please review I wont put another chapter up until I have a couple. please and thank you. sorry this was short, I thought it would be to long to put Megaton in it as well. The next chapter is all about Megaton and the people in it._


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